Unions Not Arguing In Keller/EA Lawsuit After Attorney Withdraws From Case

The major sports unions will not argue today in front of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of former college football QB Sam Keller in his lawsuit against Electronic Arts after their attorney suddenly pulled out of the case. The sports unions -- the NFLPA, MLBPA, NBPA, NHLPA and MLSPU -- had petitioned twice to argue on behalf of Keller, who is arguing EA used his image without his permission. The court agreed to give the unions, which had filed a friend of the court brief in November, five minutes. That time was to be taken out of Keller’s lawyers’ time. “This morning, Paul D. Clement of King & Spalding withdrew his appearance as co-counsel,” the unions wrote the court yesterday. “Regrettably, the Players Associations have been advised that Mr. Clement’s firm is unable to continue to represent them due to a late-discovered conflict.”